‘Best thing was to win for the fans’ - Mathews

 ESPNCricinfo: Reflecting on what had been a bleak year, Angelo Mathews thanked Sri Lankan fans for their support, following his team’s first Test victory since October. The 106-run victory in Pallekele was just Sri Lanka’s second against Australia, but also Mathews’ first triumph over a Test-playing nation in 2016. Sri Lanka had beaten India in a T20 in Pune, but Mathews had been unavailable through injury during that series.

“After a rough, tough six to eight months, we needed that victory,” Mathews said. “In that time, there was a situation where fans were turning away from us. As cricketers we feel that, because when we play well everyone loves you. Even when you lose they may love you, but they are also disappointed. The best thing was to win this match for the fans. It’s a great win for those who stayed with us, and we thank them because that support means a lot.

“In the past six months, we as a team got a lot of stick. But that’s part and parcel of the game. When we do well we get praised. When we do badly we get a bit of stick. I think we as players need to understand that.”

Mathews was full of praise for Man of the Match Kusal Mendis, whose 176 had transformed the outlook of the match. Mathews said he had seen something special in Mendis as far back as December, when Sri Lanka toured New Zealand. Mendis had played only one first-class season at the time, without particularly stellar returns.

“The selectors said he was really good, but I hadn’t seen him much to be honest,” Mathews said. “Once we went to NZ I thought Kusal was pretty special as well. The way he handled himself at the top of the order - it was a couple of tough tours for him as well in New Zealand and England, where it was seaming around. You don’t always have to have a lot of experience. There can be exceptional players like him who can walk into the international scene and start performing.”

Mendis’ score was more than triple what any other batsman managed in the game, and had rescued Sri Lanka from a first-innings deficit of 86.

“Especially playing his first Test against Australia and their very good attack, Mendis showed a lot of class and a lot of temperament,” Mathews said. “It was not easy to bat on that wicket. It was turning rapidly and their bowlers were bowling well and fast as well. The way he played, he made it look so easy. Most of us were struggling to get runs. The way he batted, I’m very excited for the future.”

Debutant left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan was also instrumental to the victory, taking seven wickets in the match. He was part of a three-man frontline spin attack, featuring Rangana Herath and Dilruwan Perera, but he turned the ball substantially more than either senior spinner.

“When Rangana is bowling, he is attacking but also he contains,” Mathews said. “We needed someone like Sandakan. Unfortunately, Dilruwan didn’t bowl that well in the game, and I’m sure he’ll come back strongly. But it was very pleasing to see Sandakan bowling his googlies, and also the batsmen were finding it very tough on this wicket. He will take the confidence of this performance forward.”

Mathews was quick to stress that plenty of work remained to be done in both the series, and with the team, but said the team environment had already benefited from the vibes resulting from a victory.

“The atmosphere in dressing room has changed a lot. Even though we lost in the recent past, we’ve not given up. We always had hopes. We always helped each other. Every team goes through this transition period, and once you click, you can go a long way. That’s what we believed. We kept helping the youngsters and even the youngsters threw in their ideas. It was a collective effort from the whole team.”

Mendis has shown ‘wonderful maturity’ - Ford

ESPNCricinfo: Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford, who has previously praised Kusal Perera’s technique, described Kusal Mendis’ 176 as “one of the best” he’s seen, and said the batsman’s temperament had impressed him as well. At the end of day four, Mendis’ innings still appears a monumental anomaly in a match in which the next highest score is 47.

“What can you say? It’s one of the best innings I’ve ever seen,” Ford said. “It was. He seemed to have a plan - and option - against all the bowlers. He showed real composure. The odd one did explode and turn on him but he didn’t bother about the previous delivery. He just focused on the next ball and got on with the job. He is an amazing talent. He works really hard and really loves the game.”

Mendis’ innings was anomalous because of its tempo, as well as its size. Of top-order batsmen to breach 30 in this Test, no one else has had a strike rate of over 60. With his innings only spanning 254 balls, Mendis struck at 69. It is also anomalous in the context of his brief career so far - his previous highest in Tests had been 53 in Leeds.

“He’s batted at no. 3 in all formats across the last couple of months, and shown wonderful maturity,” Ford said. “He’s shown signs each time of the possibility of making big scores. There have been really exciting cameos each time, but fortunately now he’s got one of those big innings under his belt, it will hopefully lead to a lot more.

“He also just seems an extremely relaxed young man. Nothing really fazes him. He enjoys playing and he can’t wait to get out there and bat. Doesn’t seem to show any signs of nerves. He plays positively and plays his shots. He went to his hundred with a six - no nervous nineties. He definitely puts a lot of thought into it. He works hard. But there’s no signs of him being too bothered, or worried about failure, which is quite a nice way of going about his business.”

Since debuting against West Indies in October last year, Mendis has largely filled the no. 3 position vacated by Kumar Sangakkara. “Had you still had the Sangas and the Mahela Jayawardenes, Kusal would have ideally been blooded at no. 6 or 7,” Ford said. “But without anybody really putting their hand up to grab that no. 3 spot, we thought he was the guy to get in and had the technique to handle it. Each time he went out there he looked like he had real capabilities to become a world-class and match-winning no. 3. So we decided to run with him and he’s paid us back.”

President congratulates Lankan cricket team over historic Test win against Australia

President Maithripala Sirisena has offered his wishes to the Sri Lanka Cricket team for their historic win in the first Test match against top-ranked Australia.

President Sirisena called Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews and congratulated him on Sri Lanka’s second ever win against Australia and offered his best wishes for the upcoming matches.

The President commended 21-year-old Kusal Mendis, who, with an epic 176, paved the way and 38-year-old Rangana Herath, who, with 5 for 54 in the second innings, sealed the match for a 106-run victory.

President Sirisena thanked the team for the honour they brought the country by winning a Test match against Australia after 17 years.

The last time Sri Lanka beat the world’s no.1 team was on 11 September 1999 with a team full of legends including Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayewardene, Muttiah Muralitharan, and Chaminda Vaas.